About Us

In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Monday, 6 April 2015

So glad I have a man that can.

After the fiasco of Saturday, Sunday's removal of the radiator and the new plumbing installation went like clockwork. And all this because of the new sofa bed that will be arriving in a week or so's time. First task was to remove our bedding and mattress to the lounge so Ian could get under the bed to drain the system.

Then it was skirting off, cut the pipes and remove the radiator by the galley. The new rad was already in place so it would be a relatively simple job to plumb it in.

Radiator removed

The only slight hiccup was a joint that needed replacing and none of the plumbing stores were open, it being Easter, so the decision was made to complete as much of the pipework as possible and finish it Monday (today) Only downside, we would have to sleep in the lounge on the floor!

Now this isn't the only modification that has to be done to accommodate the sofa bed. The shelf under the gunwale needs removing, a new table has to be made and a plug socket to be rerouted. We hope to have it all finished before we leave for our travels the end of this week. Mind you a lot depends on what the consultant says about my hip pain. The latest we can leave Sandiacre for Droitwich festival is the 16th. After that, without putting in some ridiculously long hours, I doubt if we will make it.

Dennis and Margaret returned to Icing late on Sunday afternoon and we did have time to have a Sunday lunch at the Bridge Inn. I highly recommend this pub 'cause not only does it have real ale but the Sunday Roasts are to die for and only£6 a head. On our return to FS we donned our glad rags, made up the bed on the floor, and headed off by taxi to Long Eaton to our friend Wally's 80th birthday bash. A great night only slightly marred by the fact the bar ran out of red wine!!!!

Today I ached all over. Not the greatest of nights was had laying on the floor. In fact it was downright uncomfortable. Having staggered back to FS by 11.30pm last night and managed to crawl into the bed, trying to get up this morning was a sight to see. Even Ian struggled to get off the floor and we both lay there like beached whales, giggling at the ridiculousness of it all. Not so young any more no matter how much our brain tells us different! Of course we did get ourselves up and just in time to see Dennis and Margaret leave for Langley Mill closely followed by Dave and Heather on Vixen. Seems we are on our own again but at least I can see out of the windows now that Icing isn't breasted up with us anymore. As they left a pair of buzzards circled overhead calling to one another and a Kestrel flew by. Then a Robin landed on one of our logs and, a first for me, sat there sunbathing!

3 comments:

Nearly right. Dennis and Margaret had the boat built from new. They had hired Wyvern boats for years and loved the design. They persuaded James (owner of hire fleet) to build Icing and kept the colours to advertise the fleet. We love the bow of Icing calling it the party boat because 8 can easily fit on it. The front locker is huge housing all manner of goodies including the hoover! One thing it lacks is internal space but for a summer boat it's excellant.